Vintage Bubbly Cupcakes

For the cakes: heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) 350°F gas 4. Place paper cases in a 12 hole muffin tin.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and spices into a mixing bowl.

Beat together the eggs, golden syrup and butter until smooth. Stir into the dry ingredients.

Add enough hot water to give a soft dropping consistency and stir well until combined.

Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream: beat the butter until soft. Gradually sift in the icing sugar and beat well. Beat in the vanilla until fluffy and pale.

Spoon into a piping bag and pipe on top of the cakes. Decorate with sugar pearls as in the photo.

Divide the green sugarpaste into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then a tapered oblong and shape carefully into a bottle.

Roll out the white sugarpaste thinly on a surface dusted with icing sugar.

Cut out 12 small rectangles for the 'labels' and attach to the bottles with a little water.

Mould 12 pieces of white sugarpaste for the bottle tops and attach to the bottles with a dab of water. Carefully brush the tops with gold lustre powder.